Climate Change
Despite generating intense and sometimes bitter debate, climate change initiatives are gaining momentum and will significantly impact the future of electric utilities. Regardless of the attendant challenges, former AEP Senior Vice President Michael Heyeck contends that the future holds “great promise for those with extraordinary will, laser-like focus and ‘can do’ spirit.” See what other IdeaXchange Xperts have to say on this highly charged subject.
John H. Baker Jr., Michael Heyeck, Richard Brown 2, Lee Willis, Doug Houseman, Mike Parr, Bradley Schmidt, Marlon Vogt 1, Matthew Cordaro, Mani Vadari | Jan 15, 2016
Looking back upon 2015, the year may prove to be a seminal one for climate change efforts. In October, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published the final version of the Clean Power Plan that calls for a 32% reduction in power plant carbon emission by 2030. In December, the U.S. and 194 other nations signed an historic climate change agreement in Paris. As part of the agreement, the U.S. agreed to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 26% by 2025. Also in December, the U.S. Congress, in an exceedingly rare example of bi-partisan compromise, passed a bill that extended the solar investment tax credit and wind production tax credit subsidies for several more years.
Popular and scientific support for climate change initiatives appears to be growing and high-tech billionaire Bill Gates is taking a refreshingly reasoned approach in conducting his personal campaign to fight climate change globally.
President Obama is also pushing hard to make climate change action a legacy accomplishment for his administration. He recently appeared with renowned adventurer Bear Grylls on a special episode of the NBC TV show Running Wild with Bear Grylls. Accompanied by a small off-camera army of secret service and Whitehouse staff, the two hiked to the base of Alaska’s Exit Glacier, where they cooked salmon over an open fire, talked about life and discussed the impact of climate change upon the Exit Glacier (It has receded 812 feet since 2008) and the threat climate change poses to the world at large.